Naya Usagi
"Hear the shadow and tremble at the void. Darkness is forever my friend and fear's words are hollow to the ears of the damned." - Journal Entry, Vaelan Usagi General Information Race: Miqo'te - Keeper Of The Moon Gender: Female Age: 20 Relationship Status: Xanthe Astasia Allegiance: Allied with the Twin Adders in Gridania and with the Thaumaturge's Guild in Ul'Dah. Job: Taught by her father to use a sword and bow, Naya is competent in both but she prefers to study and perfect the gift her mother left her with. Her interest in the void and the manipulation of her own aether is what lead her to study and tend the lower libraries under the Arrzaneth Ossuary. Background Born in the forests of the Black Shroud, Naya grew up playing amongst the trees and the groves with the Sylphs or getting into trouble with her older sister Nuyu in Gridania. Not all of her time was carefree though as she spent most of her days learning how to wield weapons with her father or being instructed in the understanding and control of her aether by her mother. As her studies progressed Naya found that, unlike her sister, she was more attuned and capable in the manipulation of aether. This, of course, did not help her when Nuyu would stomp her into the ground during combat practice. Her childhood was destroyed, however, when her mother died of a mysterious illness. Naya, being only six at the time, could only watch helplessly as her mother withered away before her eyes. Although a sad chapter in Naya's life, it had a silver lining... her father Vaelan. Normally a quiet, calm, and philosophical man, Vaelan warmed in an attempt to fill the large gap his mate had left in their daughters' hearts. Although not able to help Naya in her training with aether, Vaelan pushed her to seek help from the nearby Sylphs. During her studies with those ones, Naya grew an even stronger bond to the forests of the shroud and the creatures that reside within. The tragedy in Naya's life was far from over. On the night of her sixteenth birthday, as she traveled to her family's usual training grove, Naya heard her sister cry out. Fear gripping her, Naya ran as fast as her feet could take her. What she found when she arrived still haunts her in her dreams. Lying in the soft grass was her father, lacerated, beaten, and broken. Rushing to his side she cradled his head in her lap as his labored breaths grew short. The last moment between them, there were no words said and no tears shed. Vaelan died giving his daughter only a simple and loving smile. Naya spent the next two years traveling across Eorzea in search of her sister Nuyu. She met many interesting characters along her journey but finally it came to an end when she ran out of gil on the steps of Ul'dah. Not sure what to do, or where to go, she approached the Arrzaneth Ossuary in hopes that they would accept her amongst their ranks. After proving her ability to control the aether within, they happily accepted her and continued her training. She grew to become a well respected mage amongst the orders and soon they allowed her access to the lower libraries. As the next year passed, Naya made many new friends who appreciated her for her talents and she even found love... but her story is far from over. Recent History Coming soon... Vaelan Usagi - The Demon Cat Of Ala Mhigo Murder and death was Vaelan's childhood. His village was raided by Ala Mhigan slavers when he was 6 years old. His mother and aunt tried to protect his father and him but were slain by the overwhelming forces. In an effort to protect his son, Vaelan's father hid him behind the hut's water pots and then kneeled in the middle of the floor. When the slavers barged in Vaelan's father did nothing to stop them and was cut down. Spitting on the dead, the Ala Mhigans were about to leave but stopped when they heard a noise. Vaelan had found a sword and hefted it up at the ready. With a bellowing laughter the slavers disarmed him and when Vaelan was thrown flat on his back, about to be skewered, the slavers' leader entered the hut and stopped them. Not wanting this whole village to be a waste, since the Keepers had decided not to come peacefully, the leader took Vaelan as his personal trophy. His entire village dead and strapped in irons, Vaelan was taken to Gyr Abania. At first he served the slave master as the house boy, but one day only a few months into his new bound life he got into a scuffle at the market. Several Ala Mhigan boys accosted Vaelan while he was simply trying to carry out his master's orders. They, however, pushed him too far and in the ensuing fray Vaelan killed them all. A guard snatched Vaelan up and placed his head against a rock, ready to execute him. Wishing for death, Vaelan welcomed the axe swing... but he was denied. The slave master, never one to leave his property unattended, had sent his ten year old son Drasa to make sure the young Miqo'te did not try and flee. Because of this, Drasa stopped Vaelan's execution. The guard, furious with this, demanded retribution and Drasa obliged by slaying him. Back at the slave master's home, Vaelan was made to pay for his outburst by having his back repeatedly cut by freshly sharpened swords. Drasa told him that if he cried out in pain it would be over quicker. Even as a child, Vaelan was stubborn and refused until he was almost killed. Acknowledging Vaelan's strength of will and obvious fighting prowess, the slave master allowed Drasa to practice with him, helping Vaelan hone his own skills in the process. This worked out well since no one else dared spar with Drasa, not even the adults. Not only was Drasa a fierce fighter, but all were afraid they would endure terrible punishments if they happened to best Drasa in a fight. This, however, did not scare Vaelan since death at this point was only a release for him. By the time Vaelan was fifteen, he and Drasa had formed an uneasy friendship. Drasa was unusually understa nding and kind to Vaelan, a trait he did not share with anyone else. They joined the Ala Mhigan regular army, Vaelan serving as Drasa's personal conscript. Sent to a camp near the Gridanian border, they spent the next several years in raid after raid, skirmish after skirmish. Vaelan's ferocity on the battlefield became legend amongst the Ala Mhigans. Cold, calm, and collected, Vaelan was nearly impossible to best in battle, Drasa being the only match in their entire company for him. When Vaelan was nineteen the camp had received a fresh batch of Miqo'te slaves. Amongst them was a female Keeper that always seemed to be covered in dirt. Curiosity getting the best of him, especially when he caught her weaving magic to heat a pot, Vaelan approached her. Seeing through her disguise of dirt and grime, Vaelan grew to know this girl named Nala. Over the next few years their hidden friendship grew into a romance. One evening, twenty one years ago, Vaelan had caught Drasa drunkenly assaulting Nala. He attempted to free Nala from Drasa's grasp without force but Drasa left him no choice. A fight raged and by the end of it Drasa was lying in a pool of his own blood, far from dead but his body was thoroughly broken along with his pride. Knowing there would be swift and dire consequences if they stayed, Vaelan took Nala and fled into the Black Shroud. They made a home amongst the forest and befriended the creatures of the wood. This is where they lived out the rest of their days, although somewhat short lived, with their daughters Nuyu and Naya. Nala Ereska - The Witch Of The Woods Nala's tale is known to few for she was a secluded woman. Even her lover Vaelan knew nothing of her past. All that she would reveal is that she was seized at a young age and taken from her home, her family slaughtered, much like Vaelan. Though she fought off his advances and flirtations at first, Nala found herself falling for the fierce warrior. When the moon was hung high in the sky, and they were alone, Nala would strip the dirt and grime from her body and share the night with him. When that fateful evening came where Vaelan saved her from Drasa, she watched them fight in horror. Fear gripping her, she froze Drasa's feet to the ground allowing Vaelan the split second chance to cleave a powerful stroke down Drasa's body and leaving his former friend with a horrendous scar. Fleeing into the forest, Nala lead Vaelan into the Sylphlands to seek sanctuary. As the years passed, Nala and Vaelan became whispers amongst some of the hunters of the Shroud. They were both feared and respected, treated as ghosts. Nala took to this especially for she would intervene like a specter, a shadow amongst the trees, never showing anything of herself except for her magic. When Naya was six, Nala succumbed to a unique illness. No matter what herbs or healing magics were used, nothing was able to cure her. One evening when Naya awoke, curled up to her mother, she found Nala cold and still. A sullen Vaelan took his lover into the forest's depths that night to lay her to rest. Attempting to follow their father, Naya and Nuyu found they were unable to do so for a heavy fog had obscured his path. The last image they have of their mother is her draped in their father's arms. Nuyu Usagi Being Naya's older sister was never a challenge for Nuyu. She watched out for her sister but also enjoyed putting her in her place when they would spar. Not having a large pool of aether to draw from, Nuyu never excelled at any form of its manipulation and therefore would occasionally grow jealous of Naya's relationship with their mother. When Nuyu and Naya were still very young they were kidnapped by a dark mage of the woods. In application of his trade he transformed Nuyu from a Keeper into a Seeker by using a captured male Miqo'te. They were eventually rescued from their torment by their mother. On the night of Naya's sixteenth birthday, Nuyu walked into their family training grove to find their father struggling to stand. He had been horribly wounded but the assailants were nowhere to be found. In a rage she ran after them. This was the last time she was to see her father alive. Her travels took her to many far of places. Finally giving up her search for those who attacked her father she headed back to the shroud. When she returned home she found it abandoned. Weary from her travels she waited for several months to see if either her father or sister would return. It wasn't until she ventured to the nearby sylphs that she was informed of her father's death. Heartbroken over that fact she went in search of her sister. Saru Usagi Saru Usagi is Naya's cousin from Western Thanalan. More details here.